This January at Roundtable

Why You Should Come

Whether you're a new volunteer
leader, or you've been involved for years, you've probably heard people talk
about "Roundtables." Let’s explore some basic questions about
Roundtables: Who? What? Why? When? Where? Future Navigator
articles will explore other Roundtable topics.

Who: It's Your Monthly District Meeting

Roundtable is a monthly
district-wide meeting intended for every volunteer in the district: unit
leaders, district volunteers who support unit leaders, and professionals who
provide additional district support. At
every Roundtable, you will meet people who have attended for years, and people
who are there for the first time. Everyone
is welcome! Many Roundtables have over 100 volunteers present at that location in
one evening!

We encourage volunteers from every
pack, every troop, and every crew to attend monthly. Some units only send one person to
Roundtable. Does the same one person
from your unit attend Roundtable every month?
How about having different people attend on different months, so one
person doesn’t feel obligated?

Better yet, how about sending more
than one person, so someone will be there if that one person who usually goes suddenly
can’t attend? Your unit also will be
better served if more than one person attends.
Den leaders have different roles than Cubmasters or committee
members. Scoutmasters and Crew advisors
have different roles than committee members.
Roundtables offer something in separate breakouts for each of those
roles, and one person can’t possibly attend all of them.When unit leaders in all those positions
attend, your unit will receive more valuable information that will enhance your
unit program.

What Goes on at Roundtable?

Information
on district and council events for Scouts to attend

Important
council information, like the changing roles of professionals

Supplemental
training and/or workshops, like recruiting or rechartering or FOS

Networking
with other volunteers with your Scouting role, to share ideas and program tips

Other topics you suggest or request from the Roundtable team

Why Should I add Attend Another
Monthly Scouting Meeting?

Some of
you attend several monthly Scouting meetings.
Thank You for your dedication to Scouting! If you’ve been told that Roundtable is just
another meeting, and you wonder why you should attend, please reflect on the
topics listed above.

Every one
of those is intended, one way or another, to provide useful information that
you can put to use to improve the quality of you unit’s program, which will
help you provide a better Scouting experience to the youth members, and help
with youth retention. You’ll also learn
valuable tips and ideas from your peers to make your Scouting role easier and
more fulfilling. That’s a good return
for investing your time at a 60-90 minute meeting once a month.

When, and Where is
Roundtable?

It depends on your district. All Roundtables
take place during the first two weeks of the month, and are held in a central
location within the district. Precise
when and where information for each district can be found on the district web
pages at www.northernstarbsa.org/districts

If you’re busy or sick and can’t
attend your own district Roundtable some month, consider attending a
neighboring district’s Roundtable and making new Scouting contacts.

See You There!

We
hope to see you and your fellow Scouting volunteers at upcoming Roundtables. If you have other questions about Roundtable
or Scouting in general, that’s the best place to get answers!